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Apparently all the 360 motion controller rumors were true. Its also being made for the PS3 apparently. This isn't first party by the way. This isn't the first motion controller shown for the 360 but its the only one that it looks to stand a chance at hitting the market. Post any other news or opinions you have here.

March 24, 2009 - In September of last year we got an early look at the Gametrak Freedom, a brand-new motion controller being developed for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 by Performance Designed Products (PDP). In the six months that have passed, however, there have been very few updates on the product, but now at Game Developers Conference 2009, PDP is ready to talk Gametrak Freedom.

The GameTrak Freedom, or simply Freedom, will be on display for then next four days at GDC, but the developers at PDP were kind enough to give us an exclusive sneak peak at what the have in store for attendees.

Beginning with aesthetics, the Freedom is a prime example of how six months in the development cycle can change a product drastically, and the Freedom we see today is a complete departure from the sleek, black nunchuck-like design we saw in September, instead the product now sports the white-on-gray aesthetic of the Xbox 360. As it turns out, instead of releasing simultaneously on both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the Freedom will launch initially on the Xbox 360 this fall with a PS3 variation potentially following next year. Along with the new color scheme, PDP simplified the Freedom's design to incorporate more of a straighter, slightly more elongated shape with a flat control interface. At first glance, the Freedom could be confused for a standard television remote, although the trigger on the bottom is a dead giveaway. The button configuration includes the Xbox 360's X, Y, B, and A buttons, along with a d-pad, dashboard button, and start and back buttons.

In addition to unveiling the Freedom's new design, PDP also further detailed the controller's advanced motion technology. Like other motion controller solutions, the Freedom uses a series of accelerometers to determine the pitch, roll, and yaw of the device in relation to in-game physics. What sets the Freedom apart from other motion controllers, however, is its use of ultrasonic 3D positioning. The Freedom system includes two sensor bars placed or mounted to the sides of a display, which communicate with an ultrasonic emitter built into the Freedom controller. The ultrasonic pulses emitted by the controller and identified by the sensors, along with the data fed by the accelerometers enable the system to calculate the distance, orientation, and speed of the device with extreme precision. Each Freedom remote (up to four can be used simultaneously on one system) emits three pulses to accurately triangulate distance, and a fourth pulse is emitted for accuracy.
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Well sadly Nintendo have managed to do a great job of ruining gaming for people. I doubt that motion controls will ever immerse people in the game as much as people think it will. You could be holding a pad, not thinking about it, and just playing. Or you can be waving your arms around concentrating on getting motions right, not focussing on what your playing but on controlling the game.

Thats not immersion.

Even with the best implemented motion controls I always feel playing something is a chore and not relaxing. But a pad with a load of buttons is more intimidating to a casual gamer then a wiimote. The boatloads of cash Nintendo have made off this show that. Expect the next gen to be a war of motion, not of graphics or anything like that. Its inevitable now.

Nintendo is certainly not at fault for the shitty motion controls. Look at a second-party title like Metroid Prime 3. The controls for it are phenomenal and wonderfully immersive (and, hopefully, The Conduit will one-up those controls). Also, the Motion Plus is meant to make up for those issues. True, it's functionality that should have been included in the first place, but at least it's being added.

Also, Mario Galaxy, while it didn't have complex motion controls, they were simple and amusing to use. And the whole "OMFG NINTENDO IS IGNORING THE HARDCORE GAMER" is getting pretty old. Nintendo has ALWAYS been about expanding their audience. Everything from the NES to the Wii was created with that in mind.

And this whole shift in paradigm in the gaming world means very good things in the long run. For one, this means the end of the "gaming is for children and losers" mentality that a lot of the ignorant masses share.

Supposedly the next console war will be about "motion control," but that is simply not going to be the case. Nintendo does not simply rest on its laurels. There will be something new for people to do with their games next time.

And people speak of how Nintendo screwed up motion controls, yet the SIX AXIS is vastly inferior. Sony has screwed that up far worse than Nintendo could have ever dreamed. People forget just how few first-party titles there are for the Wii compared to previous Nintendo consoles.

You can claim that Nintendo has "ruined" gaming, but there are plenty of games out there that prove otherwise. It is lazy, shitty third-party developers who have "ruined" gaming.

You may cry fanboyism at my post, but I do assure you I am no such thing and anyone who's spoken to me on IRC will back that up (I'm saying this because I realized just how fanboy-ish this post sounded).

My final thought concerns the comment about Microsoft making much better games with the new controller. The fact is, Microsoft doesn't make games. THEY won't do shit with the controller, the third-party developers will (or won't, we shall see). This is a third-party device that will only be used by third-party developers.

Nintendo is certainly not at fault for the shitty motion controls. Look at a second-party title like Metroid Prime 3. The controls for it are phenomenal and wonderfully immersive (and, hopefully, The Conduit will one-up those controls). Also, the Motion Plus is meant to make up for those issues. True, it's functionality that should have been included in the first place, but at least it's being added.

Also, Mario Galaxy, while it didn't have complex motion controls, they were simple and amusing to use. And the whole "OMFG NINTENDO IS IGNORING THE HARDCORE GAMER" is getting pretty old. Nintendo has ALWAYS been about expanding their audience. Everything from the NES to the Wii was created with that in mind.

And this whole shift in paradigm in the gaming world means very good things in the long run. For one, this means the end of the "gaming is for children and losers" mentality that a lot of the ignorant masses share.

Supposedly the next console war will be about "motion control," but that is simply not going to be the case. Nintendo does not simply rest on its laurels. There will be something new for people to do with their games next time.

And people speak of how Nintendo screwed up motion controls, yet the SIX AXIS is vastly inferior. Sony has screwed that up far worse than Nintendo could have ever dreamed. People forget just how few first-party titles there are for the Wii compared to previous Nintendo consoles.

You can claim that Nintendo has "ruined" gaming, but there are plenty of games out there that prove otherwise. It is lazy, shitty third-party developers who have "ruined" gaming.

You may cry fanboyism at my post, but I do assure you I am no such thing and anyone who's spoken to me on IRC will back that up (I'm saying this because I realized just how fanboy-ish this post sounded).

My final thought concerns the comment about Microsoft making much better games with the new controller. The fact is, Microsoft doesn't make games. THEY won't do shit with the controller, the third-party developers will (or won't, we shall see). This is a third-party device that will only be used by third-party developers.

Nintendo is certainly not at fault for the shitty motion controls. Look at a second-party title like Metroid Prime 3. The controls for it are phenomenal and wonderfully immersive (and, hopefully, The Conduit will one-up those controls). Also, the Motion Plus is meant to make up for those issues. True, it's functionality that should have been included in the first place, but at least it's being added.

Also, Mario Galaxy, while it didn't have complex motion controls, they were simple and amusing to use. And the whole "OMFG NINTENDO IS IGNORING THE HARDCORE GAMER" is getting pretty old. Nintendo has ALWAYS been about expanding their audience. Everything from the NES to the Wii was created with that in mind.

And this whole shift in paradigm in the gaming world means very good things in the long run. For one, this means the end of the "gaming is for children and losers" mentality that a lot of the ignorant masses share.

Supposedly the next console war will be about "motion control," but that is simply not going to be the case. Nintendo does not simply rest on its laurels. There will be something new for people to do with their games next time.

And people speak of how Nintendo screwed up motion controls, yet the SIX AXIS is vastly inferior. Sony has screwed that up far worse than Nintendo could have ever dreamed. People forget just how few first-party titles there are for the Wii compared to previous Nintendo consoles.

You can claim that Nintendo has "ruined" gaming, but there are plenty of games out there that prove otherwise. It is lazy, shitty third-party developers who have "ruined" gaming.

You may cry fanboyism at my post, but I do assure you I am no such thing and anyone who's spoken to me on IRC will back that up (I'm saying this because I realized just how fanboy-ish this post sounded).

My final thought concerns the comment about Microsoft making much better games with the new controller. The fact is, Microsoft doesn't make games. THEY won't do shit with the controller, the third-party developers will (or won't, we shall see). This is a third-party device that will only be used by third-party developers.

Most likely...just one. The deoloper of this controller is making a game for it. It features "cute" animal balls (iggy's wrecking ball style) and pretty much features every mini-game thats ever been on the Wii.

Are you people incapable of understanding the difference between third and first parties??? Microsoft did NOT make this. This is NOT an official product. Microsoft is not trying to "turn the 360 into the Wii," a third-party developer is trying to bring Wii-style gameplay to the 360. FFS.

Are you people incapable of understanding the difference between third and first parties??? Microsoft did NOT make this. This is NOT an official product. Microsoft is not trying to "turn the 360 into the Wii," a third-party developer is trying to bring Wii-style gameplay to the 360. FFS.

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I hope your not talking about me. I think the second sentence says this is third party.

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